1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sheet shipping container and, more particularly, to a container for shipping glass sheets in which the container is capable of being unloaded from the front, top or side.
2. Discussion of the Technical Problems
Sheets, and in particular, glass sheets are shipped in containers many of which include vertical standards or posts joined to a base. Such containers are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,603,455; 3,709,358; 3,863,799; 3,887,071; and 4,074,823. Another type of sheet shipping container is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 249,313 filed Mar. 31, 1981, entitled "Sheet Shipping Container".
The containers which include vertical standards or posts joined to a base generally have a rectangular truss or box configuration. Unitized containers such as disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 249,313 provide a backwall which is supported by unitizing the sheets, backwall members, and base.
The containers utilizing vertical standards generally allow for top unloading and in some cases, top and front unloading. If it becomes necessary to unload the container from the side, many containers lose structural integrity when the sidewalls or supporting posts are removed. In the case of some unitized containers in which an internal backwall is only supported by an external corrugated member, once the external corrugated member is removed from the side, the internal backwall is largely unsupported and the glass sheets may fall over.
Due to space constraints and the storage practices of users of vertically stacked glass sheets, it has been found that unitized containers can not always be unpacked or "picked" from the front side. In such situations the choices are: (1) move the container to a position where it can be unloaded from the front, (2) externally support the glass while "end picking", or (3) vertically unpack the glass.
It would be advantageous, therefore, to provide an improved container for shipping glass sheets that allows vertical stacking yet permits unloading the sheets from the top, the front, or from either side. The instant invention is directed toward that end.